Beef and Guinness Stew with Guinness Beer Bread

Beef and Guinness Stew with Guinness Beer Bread. What else would you want to eat on a cold winter night?

The smell of the beef braising in the Guinness with garlic, onions, mushrooms, and carrots until its so fork tender you only need a spoon to eat it will make your mouth water. Maybe I should call it spoon tender?

The deep, malty flavor of the Guinness makes such a great canvas for the tender beef, vegetables, and rich brown gravy. Served over a bed of seasoned, mashed rustic red potatoes with a warm slice of Guinness Beer Bread and a pat of melting butter, my mouth is watering again! This hearty, flavor packed Beef and Guinness Stew will warm your heart and make your home smell like heaven.

For a stew to be truly epic, it must have certain elements in my opinion. I like large chunks of beef, and by that I mean I cut my chuck roast into 2-3″ cubes. The beef and the Guinness are the stars here. Browning the meat first is also a must as it really deepens the flavor. I also prefer an almost gravy-like consistency for my sauce. At the end of the cooking time if my stew isn’t as thick as I would like, I add an additional amount of flour to give my stew a thicker consistency to really cover the mashed potatoes just like a thick gravy should. Letting the stew simmer for the proper amount of time is also very important for all of the flavors to develop and for the beef to be spoon-tender.

Last weekend when I made this, my hubby was scheduled to work, so the kids and I decided to head up to the lake where we keep a camper in the woods. Despite the freezing temps, being all cozy in our camper with movies and board games is just so nice. You are away from the everyday chores of laundry and house cleaning and its like a weekend vacation. Its one of our favorite places actually. Throw in a big pot of this slow cooking, fragrant stew, a loaf of beer bread, and Cranberry Orange Scones for dessert, and you have yourself a little, cozy piece of heaven.

Part of my point here is that even though you could serve this to company to rave reviews, this is a fairly simple dish to prepare. If it can be done in a tiny camper kitchen, it can be done anywhere.

How to make Beef and Guinness Stew

Start by browning 3 pounds of chuck that has been cut into 2-3″ cubes and dusted with flour, salt, and pepper over a high heat in a little olive oil. Brown the meat in 2 batches to avoid crowding the meat. Place in a large bowl when done.

Next, brown 8 ounces of baby portabella or button mushrooms in a little butter and then place in the bowl with the beef.